Adjustable holder for roll material



July 18, '1939.

'2 SheQs-Sheet 1 B. POSATSKY Filed Jan. 20, 1938 BOHDHN I POSATSKY ilLTllllli JI'J Z' Z INVENTQR ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE HOLDER FOR ROLL MATERIAL WEE Wm DAN Pmwmwzv INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES rATEnr ores 2,166,320 ADJUSTABLE HOLDER FOR ROLL MATERIAL Bohdan Posatsky, Woodside, Long Island, N. Y.

Application January 20, 1938, Serial No. 185,990

5 Claims. (Cl. 24.2-65.5)

This invention relates generally to improvements in toilet fixtures and the like and especially to improved flush-mounting supporting means for rotatably holding and advancing rolls of toilet paper or the like.

It is among the more important objects of the present invention to provide a new and improved type of flush-mounting housing for rotatably supporting a roll of toilet paper or the like whereby, as material is removed from the roll, the roll is automatically advanced to present unused material in the front portion of the housing.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide means for supporting roll material of the type referred to whereby ro-tative movement of the roll is freely permitted in one direc tion but is substantially precluded in the opposite direction.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved type of combined guard plate and lap adapted to abut against the roll whereby removal of material from the roll and tearing thereof is facilitated.

Notable among the features of the device: according to the present invention are that, although a roll of material positioned therein can. be easily and expeditiously removed or replaced as appears desirable, at least a major portion of the roll material is normally protected from dirt, dust and similar extraneous deleterious influences, that rollmaterial of. different sizes can be used in the device without necessitating substantial adjustment thereof or alteration in the structure or relationship of the various cooperating members, and that waste of the roll material is at least largely minimized. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the free end of the roll material is normally maintained in a position adapted to convenient use. It is also to be observed that the device according to the present invention is characterized by a pleasing and harmonious physical appearance which, it is thought, in and of itself over and above the hereinbefore emphasized advantages and features, represents a substantial improvement over other devices of this type heretofore known.

Other objects, advantages and features of the device according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in. the art during the course of the following description wherein a specific embodiment of the present invention, herein illustrated, will be described, it being clearly understood however that the illustrated preferred embodiment is given solely by way of example and is non-limitative.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and taken substantially on line X-X. of Figure 2;

Fig. 2 is substantially a front elevational view, partially in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective View of certain internal portions of the device illustrated in Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lap portion of the improved toilet fixture according to the present invention.

Regarded in certain of its broader aspects the present invention comprises a new and improved type of toilet paper fixture especially suitable for holding toilet paper and similar roll material in. a position adapted for use and comprises a boxlike member open in the front portion thereof and provided with substantially parallel spaced channels formed. in side portions of said box wherein a spindle-carrying U-shaped member is adapted to slide, said spindle being arranged to provide a support for roll material whereby through movement of the U-shaped member in the channels the roll of. material can be advanced forwardly or retracted inwardly relative to the box-like member.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the spindle member is freely rotatably journalled in openings formed in parts of the U-shaped member whereby its movement in one direction is not interfered with but its movement in the opposite direction is limited.

Further, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a lap removably but firmly attached in the front portion of said box-like member is provided to abut against the roll of material positioned therein and to provide holding and tearing means for receiving and presenting end portions of said roll material.

In order to facilitate a clear understanding of the matter of the present invention a preferred embodiment thereof, herein illustrated, will be now described.

Referring then to the drawings, a flush type mounting box-like member generally designated by the numeral iii and comprising side portions II and I2, top and bottom portions 63 and i4 and a back portion i5 is provided with a flange l6 substantially as shown. It will be observed that the front portion of the box-like member If] is left open. Square-cut channels 26 and 2! are provided in side portions ii and i2. respectively, being disposed substantially parallel to each other and preferably substantially parallel with respect to the bottom I 4 of the member ID. A U-shaped member generally designated at 24 comprises a cross-piece 25 and arms 26 and 21 to be slidably received within the channels 20 and 2| with the cross-piece 25 disposed near the back portion l5 of the chamber ID. The member 24 is normally urged toward the front portion of the box by means including a relatively vertical cross-piece 28 tensioned by springs 29 and 30 associated therewith, attached at projecting tongue-like portions 3| and 32 formed on said member 28 and slidable in slots formed in portions l3 and M on the box-like member ID. It will be observed that the springs 29 and 30 are attached at their free ends to the flange l6 whereby the member 28 is normally urged toward the front portion of the box and inasmuch as the horizontal cross-piece 25 of the U-shaped member 24 is positioned in front of said member 28, it will be apparent that the U-shaped member is normally urged forwardly as hereinbefore referred to.

The U-shaped member 24 comprises as hereinbefore mentioned, a horizontal cross-piece 25 and arms 26 and 21. The arms 26 and 21 serve as supporting means for the roll spindle generally indicated at 40 whereby said spindle is rotatably and removably held in said member 24. It will be noted that a ratchet gear 4| is provided at one end of the member 40, said gear being substantially fixedly secured to and disposed coaxially relative to said member. The gear 4| is receivable in an opening 42 formed in the arm 26 and when positioned in said opening the teeth of said gear engage with a gravity pawl 43 carried in said arm whereby rotative movement of the gear in one direction is permitted, although movement in the opposite di rection is at least largely precluded. The 0pposite end of the spindle means 40 is provided with a projecting rod-like member 44 journalled in an opening 45 formed in the block 46, it being observed that the block 46 is hingedly attached to the arm 21 by means generally designated at 48 whereby, when it is desired to remove the spindle means 40 from engagement with the U-shaped member 24, said block 46 can be moved on said hinge thereby permitting removal of the spindle. It will be noted that the hinged block-like portion 46 associated with the arm 21 moves away from rather than toward the other arm 26 of the U-shaped member 24. Accordingly, the spindle means 46 can normally be removed only when the end spindlecarrying portions of the U-shaped member are removed from the channels 20 and 2| in the sides H and I2 of the box-like member III. A central portion 50 of the spindle means generally designated at 40 is provided with a plurality of extending resilient members, one of which is designated by the numeral 5|, said members being adapted to engage and cooperate with the roll material positioned on said spindle. For example, it will be obvious that a substantially cylindrical, hollow cardboard core such as is usually provided in rolls of toilet paper or the like, substantially illustrated in Fig. 1 and designated by the numeral 6|, can be positioned circumjacent said resilient members thereby being firmly but removably held in position and disposed substantially coaxially relative to the axis of rotation of said spindle means 40.

It will be apparent then, that a roll of toilet paper or similar material positioned upon the spindle means as aforesaid and associated with the cooperating members hereinbefore described will normally beurged toward the front portion of the box generally designated at ID by means including a spring-tensioned member 28. Forward movement of the roll of toilet paper is, however, limited by means including a lap generally designated at which is firmly but removably mounted in the open end portion of the box In, substantially as shown. Bossed openings 66 and 61 positioned in the sides H and [2 of the box generally designated at H] are adapted to receive projectable portions of said lap member 65.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, wherein these features are best illustrated, it will be noted that the lap 65 is provided with an outwardly curved portion generally designated at 68, having openings 69 and HI formed in side portions thereof, wherein are slidably received grips H and 12 associated with sliding members 13 and 14. The slidable members 3 and 14 are spring-pressed by means including a spring 16 and are provided with projectable portions one of which is designated at 15, said portions being adapted to i being received in the bossed openings 66 and 6'! hereinbefore alluded to, whereby by projecting the projectable portion as aforesaid, said lap 65 can be substantially firmly held in position with flattened portion 11 resting upon the bottom l4 of the case l0 and can be removed when desired by moving the grips 12 and "H toward each other whereby the projectable portions are retracted from engagement with the bossed openings 66 and 61 as aforesaid. The upper portion of the lap 65 is arcuately curved inwardly whereby the end portion normally abuts against the periphery of the roll of material 6|, said roll of material being springpressed against said edge in the manner hereinabove described. Guard means 8| carried upon said arcuately curved portion of the lap 65 and disposed in substantial parallelism with respect thereto, presents an upwardly extending central portion 82 and side portions 83 and 84 whereby an end part 85 of the roll of material 6| can be passed over the end portion 80 of the lap and under the guard means 8|. It will be apparent that as desired roll material can be advanced through the guard as, for instance, by means of pressing downwardly on the material positioned on both sides of the central portion 82 of the guard 8|. When it is desired to sever a portion of the roll material from the remainder this can be easily and expeditiously accomplished by tearing said material along the edge 86 of the guard 8|.

In use, the roll of toilet paper 01' similar material is positioned upon the resilient members, one of which is designated at 5|, associated with the spindle means 40 and the spindle is associated with the U-shaped member generally designated at 24, the latter then being positioned within channels formed in the side portions of the box and the removable lap pushed backwardly in the box against the spring-tensioned member 28 until the lap generally designated at 65 can be mounted in position through engagement of the projectable parts thereof with the bossed openings formed in the side parts of the box as aforesaid. The end portion of the roll material extending downwardly and outwardly from the top part of said roll is then introduced upon said lap and passed through and under said guard means 8| extending therefrom substantially as diagrammatically illustrated Fi 1.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not aiTect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet fixture of the type described comprising a box-like member having sides, top, bottom and back portions and a flanged opening near the front thereof, channels disposed in substantial parallelism positioned in opposite sides of said box member, a spring-pressed U-shaped member slidably received in said channels with forwardly extending arms and normally urged toward the front open portion of said box member, a spindle freely rotatably but removably journalled in the front portion of said arms, and a lap firmly but removably connected to portions of sides of said box-lik member and extending upwardly across the front open portion thereof whereby a roll of material positioned on said spindle is normally pressed against said lap.

2. A toilet fixture of the type described comprising a box-like casing having sides, top, bottom and back portions and an open front, a pair of essentially parallel channels formed in the sides of said casing, a Ushaped member com-- prising cross-piece and arms slidably received in said channels with arms forwardly extending, means for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material within said Ufihaped member, an upwardly projecting outwardly bellied lap positioned across at least most of the lower portion of the open front of said casing, and means normally tending to hold roll material adjacent said lap.

3. A toilet fixture of the type described comprising a box-like casing having sides, top, bottom and back portions and an open front, a pair of essentially parallel channels, one formed in each of the sides of said casing, a U-shaped mernber comprising cross piece and arms slidably received in said channels with arms forwardly e:-:- tending, means for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material within said LJ-shaped member comprising a spindle journalled in the free end portions of arms of said member, means for permitting removal of said spindle from relationship with said arms comprising an outwardly swinging hinged portion of said arm wherein one end of said spindle is journalled, means for sub" stantially regulating the rotative movement of said spindle in one direction, an upwardly projecting outwardly bellied lap positioned across at least most of the lower portion of the open front of said casing, and means normally tending to hold roll material carried on said spindle adjacent said lap.

l. A toilet fixture of the type described comprising a box-like casing having sides, top, bottom and back portions and an open front, a pair of essentially parallel channels, one formed in each of the sides of said casing, a U-shaped member comprising cross-piece and arms slidably received in said channels with arms forwardly extending, means for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material within said U-shaped member comprising a spindle journalled in the free end portions of arms of said member, resilient extending members carried on said spindle adapted to cooperate with central open portions of roll material whereby said roll is held in spaced relationship and coaxial alignment with said spindle, means for preventing rotation of said spindle in one direction comprising a ratchet wheel carried on said spindle engaging with a pawl mounted on one of said arms, an upwardly projecting outwardly bellied lap positioned across at least most of the lower portion of the open front of said casing, and means normally tending to hold roll material carried on said spindle adjacent said lap.

5. A toilet fixture of the type described comprising a box-like casing having sides, top, bot-- tom and back portions and a flanged open front, a pair of essentially parallel channels, one formed in each of the sides of said casing, a U-shaped member comprising cross-piece and arms slid ably received in said channels with arms forwardly extending, means for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material within said U-shaped mernber comprising a spindle journalled in free end portions of arms of said member, resilient extending members carried on said spindle adapted to cooperate with central open portions of roll material whereby said roll is held in spaced relationship and coaxial alignment with said spindle, means for permitting removal of said spindle from relationship with said arms comprising an outwardly swinging hinged portion of said arm wherein one end of said spindle is journalled, means for substantially regulating the rotative movement of said spindle in one direction comprising a ratchet wheel carried on said spindle engaging with a pawl mounted on one of said arms, an upwardly projecting outwardly bellied lap positioned across at least most of the lower portion of the open front of said casing, means associating said lap and side portions of said casing comprising retractable spring-pressed latch elements mounted on said lap engageable with openings in said casing sides, means normally tending to hold roll material carried on said spindle adjacent said lap comprising a springpressed vertical cross-piece extending through slots formed in the top and bottom. portions of said casing and abutting against the cross-piece of said U-shaped member, and means for facilitating removal of material from said roll comprising a guard member carried on said lap adapted to overlie an extended end portion of said material and having one edge formed to facilitate tearing of the material thereon.

BOHDAN POSATSKY. 

